Volunteering and Tourism

A growing evidence base has consistently highlighted the negative impact on children of living in institutional care such as orphanages – especially when parents or close family members are still living nearby. The increasing trend in volunteering in or visiting these facilities compounds the issue and the impact on children. Not only does it encourage the expansion of orphanages, but it also makes children vulnerable to abuse in those areas where regulation is lax, creates attachment problems in children who become attached to short-term visitors, and can heighten the risk for unregulated inter-country adoption by well-intentioned volunteers who form a bond with a child and want to take them home.

This section highlights resources focused on international volunteering, tourism, and donations in residential care centres.

Displaying 1 - 10 of 134

Elizabeth A. Faulkner,

This book review is written by Elizabeth Faulkner of author Kate Kathryn E.

Kathryn E. van Doore, Rebecca Nhep,

This article outlines differing perspectives on orphanage tourism and volunteering from the last decade of research. It examines the contexts in which orphanage tourism occurs and outlines the drivers for this form of tourism. In addition, it discusses the implications of orphanage tourism for children including impacts on child agency, child rights, child development, child protection, and child trafficking and exploitation.

147th IPU Assembly,

This resolution on orphanage trafficking was adopted by consensus at the 147th IPU Assembly and endorsed by 180 parliaments.

Transforming Children's Care Collaborative,

This thematic brief contains guidance on key policy measures and concrete steps that may assist with the development and implementation of a whole-of-government strategy to eliminate orphanage tourism and voluntourism and to combat orphanage trafficking. It includes recommendations relevant to volunteer-sending and volunteer-receiving countries. In addition, it contains practical examples of effective measures from a diverse range of countries sending and receiving volunteers.

Transforming Children's Care Collaborative,

Este Informe Temático sobre voluntariado, volunturismo, turismo de orfanatos y tráfico de huérfanos fue elaborado para aportar lineamientos a los Gobiernos, los responsables de políticas y otros responsables de la toma de decisiones. También respalda la implementación de los compromisos internacionales asumidos en el contexto de la Resolución de la Asamblea General de la ONU 2019 sobre los Derechos de los niños y las niñas privados del cuidado parental. Explica de qué modo tomar las medidas apropiadas para abordar y prevenir los daños asociados al voluntariado en orfanatos, el turismo de orfanatos y el volunturismo, y al tráfico de huérfanos vinculado con las actividades anteriores. 

Better Care Network, Griffith University - Law Futures Centre,

This document provides clear definitions of what orphanage trafficking is and how to detect this kind of exploitation.

Better Care Network, Griffith University - Law Futures Centre,

This is a list of indicators of acts: Unlawful Removal, Recruitment, and Transfer of a Child into a Residential Care Institution

Better Care Network, Griffith University - Law Futures Centre,

This is a list of indicators of acts: Unlawful Removal, Recruitment, and Transfer of a Child into a Residential Care Institution

Better Care Network, Griffith University - Law Futures Centre,

Results from the Enhancing Identification, Prosecution and Prevention of Orphanage Trafficking Study in Cambodia.

Rebecca Nhep, Dr Kate van Doore,

This study was conducted as a part of a multi-stage, multi-country project designed to enhance the identification, prosecution, and prevention of orphanage trafficking crimes. It was the second of four stages to be conducted in Cambodia as one of three jurisdictions included in the study.